Monday, January 11, 2010

Today has been a busy but a WONDERFUL day! First Harper slept until 8 a.m. - which is the latest she has ever slept! Yeay! Then we got ready and we headed up to our church. I'm on the church finance committee (yes - I'm a total adult now!) and I had to meet with our youth minister to go over his budget. We have such an awesome church staff. I'm so grateful for them. His wife is my friend Maegan and the other two ladies who work in the youth office (who I jsut LOVE) all held Harper and entertained her while I met with the youth minister. She ate up the attention.Then we headed to meet some sweet friends for lunch. The six of us all met in high school, college, as neighbors, in church or the internet. We all have crazy connections and we get together probably once every month or so for lunch and I always have the BEST time! This is Harper's boyfriend Brody. We just LOVE him.

Ashley and her precious baby Avery, Kate, and Melissa!

Me, Julee, and Jennifer

All of us. We ate at this new place in Fayetteville on Dickson Street. It's a grilled cheese restaurant. Seriously. And it was SO good. I had a sandwich that was parmesan and mushrooms and I don't know what else but I could have ate 10 of them. And Harper loves grilled cheese too! I love Fayetteville- it's such a fun college town.After lunch Harper and I ran by Target and then finally came home late this afternoon. I think she was glad to be out and about because she was SO happy all day. And she never even took a nap the whole day. I just love doing things with her!I have a set of 12 botanical prints that are framed behind my dining room table and I had the idea for a while that for her party - I would frame all of her monthly pictures! So last night I did that. I used the same scrapbook paper that I used making her banner and framed them all. I just have to take her picture this week for her ONE YEAR and frame it in that last spot. I thought it turned out really cute! Scott and I were having so much fun looking back at her early pictures. We can barely remember her being that little. ha! I was laughing when I told him "When she was 1 or 2 months old - I thought it was SO hard. And all she did was lay in her bouncy seat or swing or still on the bed" and then when she started rolling I thought it was so hard - I had NO idea. And Scott said "Yep - and you think it's hard now because she is crawling....in a few months you will look back and say - it was SO easy back then!"

I've been busy framing other pictures of her to use at the party! I'm busy all week trying to get all the little details taken care of!

I had to show you this outfit and share this story because it's such a small world! I had found this website a few weeks ago and ordered this little outfit. I just love it. Last week - I got a phone call and it was the owner of the website. She said "Do you have a blog? And a little baby named Harper?" I just had to laugh. She shared with me that she went to church with Angie Smith and she had prayed for Harper when she was born and was so excited to be making this outfit for her. We went on to talk about God and our shared heart for missions and it was just such a neat conversation with a stranger/sister-in-Christ! This crazy internet and blogging makes such a small world but God makes it so much better!

91
comments:

I absolutely LOVE the monthly picture wall!! LOVE IT!! :) You have done such an outstanding job with all of the decorating. I know you're stressin' but I think you're just being too hard on yourself!! Your party is going to be a HUGE hit!!! I just know it!! Plus, the star of the party is an absolute DOLL and I think she might just steal the show!!!!!!! ;)

I LOVE the pictures of Harper throughout her first year. What a wonderful idea! Blogging is such a wonderful way to meet people and learn more about others in this world that you never normally would have the opportunity to meet. Thank you for sharing your fun day with us!!

So creative with the pictures on the wall! And her outfit looks super comfy yet oh so simply cute! Enjoy this week and the moments leading up to her birthday. It was so sad for me when Ava turned one. I was an emotional mess. I wanted her to stay a little baby for just a bit longer. They grow up too quick!

Your idea to frame the monthly pictures is so neat! I loved the birthday banner you did...thinking of doing that for our next b'day party =) That is a precious outfit Harper is wearing...love it!! Love, love, love these little girls!!

Had so much fun with you and Harper and the rest of the gals today!! I already want another grilled cheese! :) love the pics in your dining room! That's a great idea! I can't believe she is going to be one this weekend! I'm so thankful to have met you through blogging and look forward to many more lunch dates!

I think that the first 6 months of being a mom IS REALLY HARD! I did a lot better as a mom when my boys were finally crawling, walking, then potty trained, talking...It just gets better...and I think easier! They are 16 and 14 now and I do believe that having my son drive is one of the hardest steps yet!!

You're a great mom and Harper will love looking back on all of your hard work for her first b-day and think so too:)

I think I will have to make grilled cheese for my daughters lunch today! I really enjoy reading all about Harper and seeing her precious pictures. It is so much fun seeing what other girls my daughters are are like (mine is a month older than Harper). I loved that you had readers post what they feed their kids. I got some great ideas from that as well.

Now you did a great job with those pictures. That was a neat idea and it looks just great. I'm not a decorating/ fussy kind of person when it comes to stuff like this, so Bay's party was sort of blah! But that is just the cutest idea.

I'm so glad someone sent me a link to pray for Harper when she was born. You have inspired me in so many ways. I hope Harpers Bday is the best... she is so adorable! I check your blog everyday to see if you have updated or not. Can you please post the website for the monogram outfit!

Such a neat story about connecting with the maker of Harper's cute outfit. And, can I say, those framed monthly pictures... what an adorable and wonderful idea! Love it!!! Harper is going to grow up knowing how loved and treasured she is when she looks back at all the detailed things you've done to make her big and little life moments special!

I love seeing all your birthday ideas...it is giving me some great ideas to borrow! I have enjoyed watching Harper grow up this first year. My daughter is just a month exactly behind Harper and I love seeing what each is up to. My husband thinks I am funny b/c I am always saying "baby Harper this and that!" She is a little celebrity in our house. When moms have good ideas and style we like to copy them! :) Why re-invent the wheel! Can't wait to see all the birthday stuff!

I LOVE the monthly picture idea. We are going to do the same thing with Eli's birthday in a few months only we are going to black out the month in the picture and have all our guests try to put them in order for a fun prize! I can't wait to see what other things you have planned since we are just a few months away from Eli's one year b-day. It goes by so quickly!

I love all the party prep stuff! I did lots of the same decorations for Avery's first birthday- with LOTS of pinks and green. The theme was "Simply Sweet" with all desserts and it was so much fun! So I am going to live vicariously through you since her 1st birthday is over and its almost her 2nd!!!! Enjoy!

OMGoodness! Hammontrees is the best!! As soon as I saw the pics, I knew that's where you were! I love it, grilled cheese is my favorite. The Scarlet Cheddar and the gorgonzola/spinach soup are my favs.

All of these fun details are going to make Harper's birthday party so special! I always love looking at monthly pictures from a baby's first year...they change so much! Wait until you see how much she changes this year!!!

I just love reading about all of the fun details of Harper's party! I can't wait to read all about how it goes. Is it this weekend? I'm a relatively new reader, so I can't be glared at when I ask, when is her actual birthday?

Everything looks adorable, and I just love her outfit! I am going to do the month pictures with my baby due in March. I so regret not doing that with my 4 girls, so this time, I WILL DO IT! Have a great week!

A GRILLED CHEESE restaurant sounds like HEAVEN! I love cheese more than most anything else you can put in your mouth and eat! lol! Harper's outfit is precious! I am going to have to check out the website. What a cools story too! Have fun with Harper's Birthday Week! I love the frames!

A grilled cheese restaurant? My husband may want to make a trip to Arkansas just for that alone!Your wall of monthday pictures looks great! Very clever. I am planning my baby girl's first birthday right now, too, but I don't think I'll be able to pull that one off!

The grilled cheese restaurant sounds yummy! Wish we had one of those here! I LOVE how you took Harper's monthly pics and turned them into art for her birthday! Wanna come help me get creative for Anderson's 1st birthday?! ha! All the party decor that you have shared so far is so cute, I can't wait to see the big reveal!

I love baby Avery's bow. It is bigger than she is! Harper's outfit is really cute. Wonder if it comes in xxxL? Her party is going to be great. The picture wall is a wonderful idea. Can you believe how much she has changed in one year. What a cutie!Keeping you in my heart in Ga,Donna

That photo wall of Harper's 12 month is the COOLEST idea for a first birthday party EVER!! I am so glad you had 12 prints up so it could work out so perfectly. I seriously love and adore the idea and if my daughter's first birthday was not done yet (oh my gosh she's almost two!) I would totally have figured out a way to have done that and copied you!! Great idea! :)

All of your party decorations for Harper's 1st birthday are so precious and cute! I can't wait to see the pics once everything is in place! When my daughter turned one in April, my husband was in the middle of a long hospital stay (after being crushed by a moving truck on the day we moved into our house...long story...he's fine now, praise the Lord!) Anyway, we ended up having a very small 1st birthday party for Nora in the hospital waiting room on his floor. It was sweet and simple. For her 2nd birthday, I'm hoping to go all out since we can have a party at home this time! So, you're giving me some great ideas. :)Also - I agree that I've been so blessed by how God has used my blog. I don't have the following you do, but God brought readers to my blog while Dustin was in the hospital that were so encouraging to me. And I've also developed friendships through my blog that I otherwise would not have. Very cool!Love your blog, and happy 1st b-day to your miracle girl!~Kate

I love the look of the framed monthly pictures! My baby boy celebrated his first month yesterday, and now I'm thinking I should take a picture today to start something similar. Any ideas to something clever for a boy???

We have a collage in our kitchen of family pictures and I thought of doing Caleb's monthly pictures on those frames too! But I'm going to put them in a different place. I can't wait to see all of your decorating. Oh and I'm going to Hobby Lobby tomorrow and I might try to do a banner like you did!

I meant to comment on your last post about moving out of the baby room at church. I'm so sad too that Caleb will probably move soon. I secretly hoped he wouldn't take any steps on Sunday!!!

I have always loved how you did Harper's monthly picture. I am making a promise to myself to start that with our baby girl due in March. Great idea to display them at her party. It will be fun for everyone to look back and see how much she has changed.

I have read your blog for some time now just never comment until today but i just think u have some of the most creative ideas. The monthly picture wall is super cute. My son's 2nd birthday is coming up and even though i love the pink lime green and animal prints who does not love construction equiment. I also must say Harper is so adorable. Well God Bless yall enjoy her 1st of many birthdays Jessica from TX

Kelly, I think without even knowing it we are totally throwing the same party only mine is for a boy with a farm theme! ha! I decided a few weeks ago to do a photo banner with pictures from each month and also are doing gifts for a local shelter instead of gifts for Landon. Great minds think alike! Harper is precious!! Have a great week!

Kelly, Thank you so much for sharing so much of your life on your blog.It is a joy to read!! The pictures of Harper are so cute and she has grown up right before our very eyes!Can I give you some advice regarding the cold weather? I know it is not normal for the south, but I hope you can find a way to embrace the cold. Take it from a Canadian...you can embrace every season if you try. We always celebrate winter with hot chocolate and mini-marshmallows, making snow angels, drawing "pictures" the snow with squirt bottles containing water & food coloring and sledding. Your little girl will love all these fun things that come with cold weather!!!

Kelly, I just love reading your blog - and i love all your decorating for Harper's 1st birthday - soooo cute, especially the wall of monthy photos! Following your journey really puts a smile on my face - you really enjoy your family, and you are an inspiration as a Christian Mom - thank you! Ann

Love the pics of her first 12 months. I remember doing something similar for my kids' first birthdays. Another great idea- cut out die cut shapes and have the party attendees right messages for Harper- save these for her to read later. We put our messages in our scrapbooks.

I've never commented on your blog before. I started reading it back in December'08/January '09, shortly after I brought my son home from the NICU in Dallas, Tx. We were blessed his stay was brief, only two weeks, hardest 2wks of my life!

I went shopping at Pink Giraffe, and loved it! I like to check retailmenot.com for online coupons, and found out Pink Giraffe has a coupon code "retailmenot". It's 10%off order. I'm a softie for monograms, and have a SAHM online business www.handmadebyamanda.com and prefer buying from other SAHM's shops.